Steam: A Zutara Love Story
by blanketbug
Summary: A Zutara love story, non canon but same universe. Rated M. This fic is my idea of what happens leading up to, and after the Sozin's comet. Katara and Zuko fall in love, but how will it affect the Gaang? First chapter takes place during The Southern Raiders episode.
1. Chapter 1

This fic is my idea of what happens leading up to, and after the Sozin's comet. Katara and Zuko fall in love, but will it cost the Gaang their victory?

* * *

After narrowly escaping Azula, the Gaang found a new campsite. We sat around the fire, eating and joking. Sokka proposes a toast, to our victory with Azula, and calls me a hero.

"Guys, I'm touched," I say, aware of how high my voice sounds. "I don't deserve this." Katara scoffs. I look up at her, shocked.

"You're right. You don't," she spits, then turning and walking away.

"What's wrong with her?" Sokka asks, as we watch her leave.

"I wish I knew." I get up and follow her, ignoring the confused looks behind me.

I find Katara standing on a cliff, looking out over the ocean, her long dark hair billowing in the crisp night breeze.

"This isn't fair," I start. "Everyone seems to trust me now. What is it with you?" Katara whips around.

"Oh! Everyone trusts you now?" she says, mocking me. "I was the first person to trust you, remember?! Back in Ba Sing Se. And you turned around and betrayed me, betrayed all of us." I look down, unable to face her. She's right, of course. I did betray them. And I regretted it ever since.

"What can I do to make it up to you?"

"You really wanna know? Hm. Maybe you could reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King. Or I know! You could bring my mother back!" At this point she's yelling in my face, just inches from me. For a split second, before she stormed off, I could've sworn I saw her eyes dart to my lips. But just for a second.

Later that night, I bump into Suki on my way to speak with Sokka. She seems surprised and somewhat flustered.

"I'm sorry, do you need to talk to Sokka too?" I ask.

"Nope!" Suki says, too quickly. "Not me." She walks off before I can respond. When I enter the tent, Sokka has candles and roses across the floor and I realize I have interrupted a, um, private moment. Sokka jumps into a sitting position and tries to act natural.

"What's on your mind?" he asks. I let out a deep sigh.

"It's your sister. She hates me, and I don't know why. But I do care what she thinks of me."

"Katara doesn't hate anybody. Just maybe some people in the fire nation." Sokka quickly tries to cover up what he had said, rambling until I cut him off.

"Listen. I know this may seem out of nowhere, but I need you to tell me what happened to your mother. Katara mentioned her death when we were in prison together in Ba Sing Se, and again just now when she was yelling at me. I think she's connected her angry about that, to her anger at me."

Sokka nods slowly.

"It's not a day I like to remember…"

He proceeds to tell me the story of the day his mother died. A fire nation raid, a tough battle but the Southern water tribe had managed to drive them away. He didn't know what had happened, just that he had lost his mother. In his description, he revealed the symbol of the Southern Raiders. With that information, I thanked him and left the tent.

.

.

.

The next morning, I waited outside Katara's tent.

"You look terrible." I look up and see Katara, annoyed by my presence.

"I waited out here all night," I tell her.

"Yeah? Well what do you want?"

"I know who killed your mother. And I'm going to help you find him." Katara paused then, shocked.

After a long and tedious argument with Aang about mortality and revenge, we set off. Aang would never understand the darkest sides people have within them. I don't know if Sokka would either. But Katara and I knew, and that's part of why I wanted to help her. I could see my own trauma in her.

We flew on Appa for hours. I suggested we stop many times, but Katara let her anger fuel her. Her ferocity was captivating, but terrifying as well.

"Don't you worry about my strength. I'm not the helpless little girl I was when they came." She begins to tell me her side of the story of her mother's death, and I listen carefully.

"I ran as fast I could… But we were too late. When we got there, the man was gone, and so was she." Katara's voice cracked, but I ignored it, knowing this was a very intimate story she was sharing.

"Your mother was a very brave woman." I say softly. Katara nods.

"I know."

We fly in silence the rest of the way. As we approach the ship, Katara bends water around Appa, allowing him to swim under water. She bends a huge wave, knocking the ship's men off the main deck. We open the hatch and enter the ship. I trap a single guard in a closet, locking the door with one sword. We burst through the captain's door and when we face the man that killed her mother, something happens. The captain loses control of his body, violently jerking from side to side, his arms bending at unnatural angles. I look at Katara and realizing she's bloodbending. My eyes widen, I didn't know she was that powerful. Suddenly, he drops.

"It's not him," Katara whispers. "He's not the man."

"What do you mean?! He's the leader of the Southern Raiders. It has to be him." Katara just turns and walks away. I grab the leader and push him against the wall, bending his arm behind him.

"If you're not the man we're looking for, who is?"

"You must be looking for Yon Rha. He retired 5 years ago."

The man gives us the information we're looking for, and we set off, leaving the crew stranded. We follow Yon Rha silently through his village and his path home. It's raining heavily and Yon Rha is paranoid.

"Nobody sneaks up on me without getting burned!" he yells as he shoots a burst of fire at a nearby bush. When no one appears, he gathers his things. He turns and walks away, immediately tripping on a trap we had set for him. He falls to the ground and I great him with a fire punch.

"We weren't behind the bush," I say. "And I wouldn't try fire bending again."

From the ground, Yon Rha pleads with me.

"Please, whoever you are. Don't hurt me."

"Do you know who I am?" I see Katara pull her hood down, exposing her face to the man who killed her mother.

"No… I'm not sure." Yon Rha says, confused but still terrified.

"Oh you better remember me like your life depends on it. Why don't you take a closer look." Slowly, Yon Rha's eyes widen in recognition.

"Yes… You're that little water tribe girl." He gulps, clearly understanding the situation at hand.

"She lied to you, to protect the last water bender of the Southern water tribe."

"What! Who?"

"Me!" Katara yells and the whole world freezes. Every drop of rain stops where it is. Katara bends the water into a dome, sheltering us from the rain. She uses all that water and creates a heavy stream headed right for Yon Rha, turning to shards of ice before stopping inches from his flinching body. She stands motionless and my eyes dart from her to Yon Rha back to her. Suddenly, the ice melts and drenches him. He falls to his knees, panting and pleading with her. Offering his own mother up as a bargaining piece.

"I always wondered what kind of man could do such a horrible thing, but now that I see you, I think I understand. There's just nothing inside you. Nothing at all. You're pathetic and sad and empty. But as much as I hate you, I just can't do it." Katara turns and walks away, leaving Yon Rha a blubbing mess and I in awe of her.

Instead of leaving right away, I find us a secluded part of the island, a clearing near the ocean but surrounded on 3 sides. I guide Appa down and begin setting up a small fire. Katara quickly but silently begins hitching us a tent.

"I think since it's raining, we should share one tent, and use the other for more warmth." She says. I look up, startled, but glad she's speaking.

"Sure Katara, whatever you think is best." We sit and eat, the rain finally letting up. The night was cool and breezy. I saw her shiver and rub her hands against her arms. She catches me looking at her and looks down. I see her cheeks darken, but it could've been a shadow.

"Come here," I say quietly, gesturing to the space on the rock I've been sitting on. She comes over and sits next to me. I put an arm around her running a hand up and down her back to warm her up. She scoots closer to me and leans her head on my shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask, hoping not to disturb her. She doesn't speak for a long while. She looks up at me and I meet her gaze. She puts a hand on my neck and pulls herself up and we're kissing. I kiss her back for a moment before thinking, and gently pulling her away.

"Tara, what are you doing?" I ask, searching her face for an explanation. She pulls away from me, folding her hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry. I just. I have all this adrenaline and pent up energy. It's like my whole body is tingling," she says, speaking too fast.

"Slow down, I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"I don't know. Just forget it, okay?" Katara stood up and walks over to the tent, climbing inside. I don't know what to do. On the one hand, I know that she probably needs some space. But on the other hand, I'm incredibly tired, and sleeping on the ground exposed sounds terrible. I run my hair through my hair and shrug.

"Fuck it," I say, walking over to the tent and crawling inside. I see Katara's bare skin and immediately cover my eyes.

"ZUKO!" she yells. I flinch at the high-pitched sound.

"I'm sorry Tara I didn't mean to wa-" I start.

"No. No it's okay. I didn't think this through, sharing a tent. I usually sleep without coverings…" She trails off at the end. I peek through my fingers, and Katara's arms fall to her sides. Her bare breasts bounce slightly as she moves and I can't help but stare. I may be a prince, but I am just a 17-year-old boy after all. She clears her throat.

"Are you going to stare at me all night, or come sleep?" She asks. Her voice brings me back to reality.

"Right. Sorry." I awkwardly begin to undress, feeling Katara's eyes on me. I meet her gaze and she doesn't look away. I feel my face burning up and try to ignore it. I pull my shirt over my head and I hear a small intake of breath. I sit down next to Katara and say nothing for a while. She sits up on her knees and reaches out a hand, resting it against the scared part of my face.

"What do you think would've happened?" she asks. "If I had healed your scar back in Ba Sing Se?"

"I'm not sure" I say. Her hand is moving slowly down my face, along my jaw and rests on my collar bone. "Maybe we would've escaped together. I would've joined the team earlier. Avoided so many mistakes." I watch her watch me. Her eyes are darting everywhere.

"Zuko?" she asks.

"Yes, Tara?"

"Do you think, maybe if you had joined the team earlier, we would be different? I thought I felt something between us in Ba Sing Se, something more than just… allies." Her fingertips graze my lips and my mouth feels dry. I swallow hard.

"M-Maybe." I stutter. "I felt that too." Tara looks up at me, not breaking eye contact as she ran her hand through my hair. I lean forward and she meets me, pressing her lips against mine. The kiss is slow and tender, and when we pull away I miss her already. She grips my hair as she pulls me in again and I groan into her mouth. She takes the opportunity to dip her tongue across my lip. I run my hands up her sides, holding the underside of her breasts. She arched her back slightly, causing my thumbs to brush against her nipples. Katara let out a sigh, breaking our kiss.

I look down at her naked form, dark against my pale hands. She was by no means fat, but not thin either with her thick thighs and wide hips. Her body was all soft edges hugging taunt muscles from all the time running, fighting, and bending. Her long full hair hung in loose curls around her face, framing her prominent cheekbones beautifully. I pushed her hair over her shoulder and brought my mouth to her neck, giving light kisses from her shoulder up to her ear suckling gently. Katara moaned and put her hands on my back. The cold touch makes me shudder.

I pull Katara in for another kiss, guiding her down unto the floor of the tent and laying between her legs. Her hands traced down my stomach, touching the patch of dark leading to my crotch. She put the tip of her finger in my waistband and I grabbed her hand.

"Tara," I say, panting. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to." Katara smirks under me.

"Zuko, I am a powerful force to be taken seriously. One of only two people who can blood bend. Do you really think I do anything I don't want to do?" And with that, she pulled my trousers off, and I readily helped her. I felt my member flop against my stomach and Katara eyed it carefully.

"What's wrong?" I ask

"No, nothing's wrong," Katara assures me. "It's just, so big." I smirk and kiss her hard. I can feel her warmth against my thigh and my cock twitched. I pull my mouth away from hers and begin making a trail down her body. I lick the valley between her breasts, squeezing them, rolling her nipples between my fingers. Katara squirmed beneath me, tiny moans falling from her lips. Every one of them shot pangs of desire to my stomach. I continued down, kissing her belly and sucking on her navel. I looked up at Katara's face, asking silently _Is this ok?_ Katara nods and I get to work, spreading her legs and kissing up her thighs to her slick core. I swallow, suddenly very nervous. Mai and I had had sex before, but she was far too private to feel comfortable with this sort of intimacy. I was learning on the job, though I doubt Katara was anything but a virgin.

I parted her labia, licking her slit. She tasted good, salty. I inserted a finger cautiously, but Katara let out a moan, letting me know I was on the right track. I fingered her gently but with a firm rhythm and she thrusts against my hand. I add another finger and Katara gasps, arching her back.

"Zuko, more. Please." She groans.

"What do you want Katara? What do you want me to do?" I look up to meet her eyes and arch one brow.

"I want you to take me," she whispered, blushing and looking away. I crawled up to kiss her and she giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"I can taste myself," she laughed, leaning up to kiss me again. I sit up on my knees, sitting between her thighs. I pull her towards me and angle cock towards her wet hole. I watch her face and she nods.

"Hurry up!" she whines. I smirk and enter her slowly. She was incredibly tight and my breath caught in my throat. I put my hands on her hips and pulled her onto me, inch by inch. I felt her walls twitch around my dick and my knees felt weak.

"Move, please," Katara whimpered. I grab one of her legs and wrap it around my waist. I pull out almost completely and thrust back in with a grunt. She lifts her other leg, locking her ankles behind my back and pulling me deeper. I rock my hips, faster and harder as Katara's moans fill the tent. There's no one around for miles and she knows it, yelling out with no regards for who might hear.

I grab one of her legs and put it on my shoulder allowing me further access to her cunt. I fucked her hard and she met my thrusts. Suddenly, I was on my back. Katara smiled mischievously and lifted herself slightly before dropping back down. I gripped her hips and pulled her down as I thrust up. She throws her head back and grips her breasts, yelling out.

"Oh Zuko! Fuck! I'm so close!" she screamed. I flip us quickly and fuck her wildly, losing all sense of composure. My thrusts were erratic and my fingers dug into her hips. I used a thumb to circle her clit and Katara let out a primal grunt. I felt her walls clench around my cock as she rode out her orgasm and I lost control, pumping hard until I come, pulling out and shooting my load into the darkness of the tent. I flop down on the tent next to her, breathing heavily. I look over at Katara and see she's already asleep. I chuckle to myself , happy that she was finally getting rest after a long journey. I pull a blanket up around us and wrap my arm around her waist, slowly drifting to sleep.

* * *

What do you guys think? Should I continue? Let me know in the reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! Chapter two is much shorter and there's no smut, sorry! Cute SukixSokka moment along with Zutara navigating their relationship.

I changed the title bc water + fire = steam? Haha? Maybe? (Please send me title suggestions I'm floundering)

* * *

I woke up alone. Katara's clothes and pack were gone. I hastily dressed and rushed outside.

"Katara?" I yell. I look around the clearing and can't see her anywhere. "Katara?" I say again. I hear shifting coming from above and Appa moos at the noise.

"Up here," a quiet voice calls. I look up to see Katara in Appa's saddle, packing our things. She doesn't say anything else, so I go back to the tent, taking it apart and putting it in a sack. I gather the rest of my stuff and climb up into the saddle. Katara has taken her spot as navigator and soon we are flying. We fly in silence until we are about half way back to Ember Island.

"Are we going to talk about what happened?" I ask, my voice just above a whisper. I didn't want to upset her, not knowing where her feelings lie. She doesn't say anything for a long time and I'm not sure she heard me until she sighed.

"Zuko…" she said, her voice was reminiscent of a tired mother, gentle but with a hint of frustration. "I think we should just forget about what happened." My chest felt tight and I looked down at my hands, not wanting to show any emotions.

"Yeah, um. Maybe that's for the best." I say, silently cursing my voice for not holding steady. Katara whips around.

"No! I meant not now," she assures me quickly. "It's just that, with everything going on, we don't have time to lose focus. The comet is so close. It's just… Not the right time, you know?"

"Right," I say nodding. "Of course. Not a problem." We don't speak for the rest of the ride. When we arrive, Katara stays silent. She makes polite conversations, ignoring prodding questions from Aang and her brother. She doesn't look at me all day, walking away from the group when I walk up, spending a lot of the day in her tent or down on the beach.

Later that evening, around dusk, Aang comes to find me.

"Have you seen Katara?" he asks.

"Uh, not for a few hours. Why?"

"I'm just worried about her. Facing her mother's killer must have done a lot of emotional damage." He's always talking like a monk, which is calming sometimes but mostly just annoying. He acts like he knows so much about her, but he keeps Katara on a pedestal, some sort of flawless deity instead of a complex, powerful girl. Woman, I guess.

"She's stronger than you think," I reply curtly. I walk towards the beach and I can feel Aang following behind me. He was never good at reading the room. I see a form sitting at the end of the dock and realize it's Katara. Aang runs up ahead of me.

"Katara!" he calls out. "Are you okay?"

"I'm doing fine," Katara replies without turning around.

"Zuko told me what you did, or what you didn't do, I guess. I'm proud of you." Katara sighs heavily and stands up to face us.

"I wanted to do it," she starts. "I wanted to take out all my anger at him but, I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it or if it's because I'm strong enough not to."

"You did the right thing," Aang tells her. "Forgiveness is the first step you have to take to begin healing."

"But I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him," Katara looks at me. "But I am ready to forgive you." My heart feels light as Katara throws her arms around me. She places a hand on my chest and mouths a _thank you_. She walks off and I turn to watch her leave. I look at Aang.

"You were right about what Katara needed," I tell him and he smiles up at me. "Violence wasn't the answer."

"It never is,"

"Then I have a question for you. What are you going to do when you face my father?" Aang looks at me, stunned. He doesn't respond and there is an awkward silence, so I eventually walk off, leaving him to ponder.

I head towards the house looking for Katara. I passed Sokka and Suki cuddling on the sofa in the common room. Normally their constant affection would aggravate me, but instead I felt a small sense of jealously. How incredible it must feel to have someone so completely suited for you. I hear Suki giggle and look over to see Sokka snuggling into her neck.

"Sokka! Stop it," Suki laughs. I smile.

"Knock it off lovebirds," I say, humor in my voice. Suki blushes but Sokka just laughs and throws an arm around his beloved.

"Sounds like Zuko's lonely after breaking up with Mai," Sokka jokes. I fake a scowl but chuckle, sure it hurt to leave Mai, but she didn't understand why I switched sides, and I don't know if she ever fully would.

"Yeah yeah whatever." We say quick goodnights and the couple goes back to laughing and sneaking kisses as I wander upstairs. I hear Toph snoring in her room, but nothing else. Katara's door is closed but the light coming from beneath it means she must be awake. I knock softly.

"Tara? Are you up? Can I come in?" I ask. I hear footsteps and see her shadow under the door, but she doesn't open it right away.

"I really think we should talk," I try again, whispering as to not spill our secret. The lock clicks and Katara opens the door. Without words, she grabs my hand and pulls me into the room, closing the door gently behind me and locking it. I look around the room. It's modest, meant for guests. Not nearly large enough to impress the royal family, but enough space for a bed, a writing desk and chair, a small water tribe chest Katara had found at the market, and a wardrobe. She had lit a lantern and some candles, the dark wood floors and red curtains made the house feel incredibly dark. I sit at the desk, turning the chair and straddling it to face Katara as she sits at the end of her bed. I watch her carefully but she can't meet my eyes.

"So…" she says. I raise an eyebrow.

"So?" I challenge. "Katara, did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you in any way? Is that why you're not speaking to me?"

"You didn't do anything wrong. It's me. I made a huge mistake. What I did was irresponsible. I wasn't thinking and I let my emotions get the best of me. And if you expect me to have sex with you again then you'll-"

"Wait," I interrupt. "I don't expect you to have sex with me. I don't expect you to do anything." Katara looks skeptical.

"You don't?"

"No, I don't. I agree with you."

"You do?"

"Yes. I think you're right. It was a big decision that I don't think either of us were in the right state of mind to make. But I don't regret it. And if you'd like, we could start over. Move slowly, if you'd like." I hope she can't see my face burning up, but my pale skin often gives me away.

"I'd like that," she says softly, reaching out to take my hand and intertwining our fingers. A thought occurs to me that ruins the moment.

"I have a question," I state. Katara nods and looks at me expectantly. I take a breath.

"What about Aang?" I ask. Her face falls and for a moment I think she might cry.

"Honestly," she whispers. "I guess I forgot about Aang." I immediately burst into laughter. Katara looks at me, shocked, but soon she's laughing too. We fall back in a fit of giggles. When we collect ourselves, Katara scooches over and lays her head on my chest. I let my hand rest on her hair and we sit in comfortable silence.

"You know," I start. "You'll have to tell Aang you don't want to be with me. The boy is in love with you." Katara sighs deeply.

"I know," she says. "But not right now. Is that okay? I don't want him all upset before the comet."

"I understand, Tara," I assure her. "But, I have to get to my room before the others come upstairs." I sit up, bringing her with me. I stand to leave and Katara grabs my hand, walking me to her door.

"Don't I get a kiss goodnight?" she asks.

"Slow, remember?" I tease her. She fakes a pout and I smirk at her, leaning down for a far too quick kiss.

"Goodnight Zuko."

"Goodnight Katara." I leave her room, closely the door behind me as gently as possible. I turn to walk away and come face to face with Toph.

"I heard that."

* * *

Oooooh cliffhanger. Sorry about that, I have so much homework, not a lot of writing time. Will hopefully update Sunday! Lots of love and please review!


	3. Chapter 3

"I heard that." Toph stands in front of me with her arms crossed firmly against her chest. Toph might be a full foot shorter than me, but it doesn't make her any less intimidating.

"Not here," I whisper. "Please?" She narrows her eyes but follows me to my room anyway. I close the door and light some lanterns. The most convenient part of fire bending is never having to find matches.

"So, you and Katara huh?" Toph asks, casually.

"It's um, very new." I rub the back of my neck, waiting for disapproval. Toph flops down on my bed the way she does everything else, just like she owns the place.

"I mean it took long enough," she says. "How'd it happen?"

"It's kind of, you know, a secret? And I don't think I should be telling anyone without Katara knowing."

"Ohhhh, so you mean Aang doesn't know."

"Uh, yeah pretty much," I admit. "We don't want to distract him with the comet coming. It would just be easier to wait until everything's… calmed down." Toph nods.

"Okay, that's fair. I'll keep your secret," she says. "But you really should tell the others. Lies tend to come out." With that, she stands and walks out. My room has a private washroom, I go in there to bathe and change into my night pants. I blow out my lights and get into bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow, I'm asleep.

….

The next morning, I wake up before everyone else, as usual. The way water benders get more power from the moon, fire benders get their power from the sun. As soon as the sun rises, I feel it. This sort of restlessness that pulls me out of the deepest of sleeps. I get up and stretch, change into my clothes for the day, and head out for a run. Working out helps use up some of that excess energy. I run along the beach, thankful that there's no one out this early, no one to recognize me. When I get back to the house, the rest of the team is up. Katara has taken her usual place, making breakfast.

"Here, Zuko." Katara hands me a bowl of porridge and she smiles when our fingers touch.

"Thanks Tara," I say. I sit down at one end of the table, across from Sokka, Suki, and Toph. Aang comes down next, grabbing a mango and heading outside for his morning mediation. Katara came to sit with us but paused, ultimately sitting in the empty seat next to me. She left a wider than normal space between us. Toph eyed us and smirked, shaking her head just a bit. Suki and Sokka are too enthralled with each other to notice. They spent a long time apart when Suki was imprisoned, and are making up for it now.

After breakfast, I meet Aang outside to work on some final fire bending training. I really believe he's mastered it, but training makes him feel better I think. We finish our set and I bring my arms over my head to stretch. I see Katara and Toph sitting on the steps to the courtyard, watching us and sunbathing.

"Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara asks. I sit down at the fountain, dampening a towel and running it against my face and neck to cool down.

"I told you, my Father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy," I tell her. "And that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us." I see Sokka running out of the house, Suki following behind him.

"You guys are not going to believe this," he exclaims. "There's a play about us!"

"We were just in town and we found this poster," Suki continues. Sokka unrolls the poster and it has a picture of all of us, badly designed and my scar on the right side of my face, instead of the left.

"What?" Katara asks, rising to her feet. "How is that possible?"

"Listen to this," Sokka says. "'The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar, from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources including singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage.'" Suki leans in to read the last line.

"Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players." When I hear that, my face falls.

"Ugh," I groan. "My Mother used to take us to see them. They butchered 'Love Amongst The Dragons' every year."

"Sokka," Katara turns to face her brother. "Do you really think it's a good idea to see a play about ourselves?" She's always the voice of reason, very much the opposite of her easily excitable brother.

"Come on," Sokka whines. "A day at the theatre? This is the kind of wacky time wasting nonsense I've been missing."

…..

Later that night, we headed to the theatre. We sit in possibly the worst seats, but we have the entire section to ourselves. While Katara, Toph, Suki, and Sokka can just wear fire nation clothes, Aang and I with his tattoos and my scar, are more easily distinguished. I wear a cloak with a large hood, and Aang wears a fisherman's hat. Suki and Sokka sit on one bench together, and Toph and Katara on the other. I sit down next to Katara and hear Aang clears his throat.

"Hey, uh, I wanted to sit," he points to where I'm sitting. "There." I take off my hood to look at him.

"What's the big deal?" I ask. "Just sit next to me."

"I was just…" he starts. "I wanted to, um," he looks from the bench to Katara and back to me. Finally, he plops down.

"Why are we sitting in the nose bleed section?" Toph complains. "My feet can't see a thing from up here." Katara chuckles, her laugh like music to my ears.

"Don't worry," she tells Toph. "I'll tell your feet what's happening."

The lights in the theatre dim and the show opens to Actor Sokka and Actor Katara rowing in a canoe. Katara looks back at her brother, all excited and they share a smile. Actor Sokka looks like a much goofier version of him, while Actor Katara is incredibly voluptuous with too tight clothes and too much blusher. The first act of the play is painful to watch. Actor Katara is shrill and overly emotional. Toph teases her about accuracy but I think she's wrong. Sure, Katara is very emotional, but she's also fierce and the strongest person I know.

The play casts a woman to play Aang and he couldn't be more annoyed. While Aang is light on his feet, and a sensitive soul, I wouldn't call him a girl. Actress Aang is a giggling, overly cheerful ball of energy. While Toph continues to mock him, Aang slups in his seat and scowls.

When Actor Zuko appears, Katara elbows me softly in the ribs. I nudge her back playfully but then Actor Zuko appears on stage and my time is ruined. He was hostile and cold to Actor Iroh, who is made to seem like nothing more than an overeating fool. When the curtains close and the lights come up, I sigh with relief. We walk outside onto a balcony to get some air.

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play," I grumble. Sokka comes and sits down on a step and starts pulling from a bag of food.

"Apparently," he starts, biting off a piece of jerky and chewing. "the playwright thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time."

"Yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics," Suki teases, but Sokka doesn't notice her tone.

"I know!" he agrees, biting angrily.

"At least this Sokka actually kinda looks like you," Aang points out. "That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all!"

"I don't know," Toph says. "You are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys." Aang stands up and stomps away with an annoyed look on his face.

"Relax Aang," Katara's voice calls from the top of the steps. "They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches about hope all the time." We all turn to look at her skeptically.

"What?" she says, her voice rising slightly. Always fiery, that Katara. Toph folds her arms across her chest.

"Listen guys. It's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth." That's easy for her to say, we haven't met her actor yet. We head back inside for the second act, which starts off when the actors playing Katara, Sokka, and Aang arrive in the earth kingdom.

"This is it!" Toph says excitedly. "This must be where I come in." A fake rock is then lifted by a very large, muscular man. Actor Toph throws the fake rock across the stage and flexes his muscles. Toph leans forward, tilting her head, straining to hear better.

"Wait a minute," she starts, clearing her ear with her pinkie. "I sound like a guy, a really buff guy." She looks shocked and Katara turns to her.

"Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth. It hurts, doesn't it?" Toph grins from ear to ear.

"Are you kidding me?" she explains. "I wouldn't have cast it any other way. At least it's not a flying bald lady."

The play continues to drag on and eventually, I zone out, counting people in the audience and picking at loose threads in my cloak. I only pay attention when the set changes to the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. Actor Katara portrays what might pass as seduction, telling Actor Zuko she's had eyes for him since the first time he captured them. Actor Katara calls The Avatar a little brother and the actors embrace. Katara and I share a look and slide a little farther apart. I hear Aang stand up and leave.

The scene quickly changes to two flags, one earth kingdom, one fire nation, with Actor Azula and Actor Iroh standing on either side. Actor Zuko pushes Actor Iroh to the ground and joins Actor Azula. Actor Tylee and Actor Mai fight earthbenders and Actor Azula battles Aang, shooting him with her lightning, killing him, and ending the act. I go out into a hall and sit on the ground, the rest of the group following close behind.

"It seems like every time," Suki says. "There's a big battle you guys barely make it out alive. I mean, you guys lose a lot."

"Didn't Azula take you captive?" Sokka points out. "That's right, she did."

"Are you trying to get on my bad side?

"I'm just saying." Just then Katara rounds the corner.

"Have any of you seen Aang?" she asks.

"He left like 10 minutes ago to get me fire gummies, and still isn't back!" Sokka whines.

"I'm gonna go look for him," she says, walking off. I want to follow her, but I know I'm not someone Aang wants to see right now. Sokka and Suki head backstage to talk to the guy playing Sokka. Toph sits down next to me.

"Jeez," she says. "Everyone's getting so upset about their characters. Even you seem more down than usual and that's saying something." I scowl at her.

"You don't get it. It's different for you. You get a muscly version of yourself taking down 10 bad guys at once and making sassy remarks."

"Yeah," she chuckles. "It's pretty great."

"But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shove them back in my face. My Uncle. He's always been on my side even when things were bad. He was there for me. He taught me so much and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest and I may never get to redeem myself." I hang my head, holding it in my hands.

"You have redeemed yourself to your Uncle," Toph tells me matter-of-factly "You don't realize it but you already have."

"How do you know?"

"Because I once had a long conversation with the guy and all he would talk about was you." I look up at her, my hood falling off, and smile at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, and it was kind of annoying."

"Oh, sorry."

"But it was also very sweet. All your Uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud." As she finishes, she punches me in the shoulder.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"That's how I show my affection." Just then, a little boy dressed as Aang runs by, pausing in front of me.

"Your Zuko costume is pretty good," he tells me. "but your scar is on the wrong side." As he runs away, I lose my temper.

"The scar is not on the wrong side!" I yell, louder than the situation called for, admittedly. I pull my hood up over my head and stand up, walking away to cool off. I walk by a set of doors leading to a balcony and hear Aang talking outside. I quickly hide behind the door, listening in.

"Katara," Aang says. "Did you really mean what you said in there?"

"In where?" she asks. "What are you talking about?"

"On stage. When you said I was just like a brother to you and you didn't have feelings for me.." I hold my breath until she answers.

"I didn't say that. An actor did."

"But it's true, isn't it?" I peak through the window to watch them. I know I shouldn't be doing this, it's a breach of privacy. But I can't look away. Aang looks so sad.

"We kissed at the invasion and I thought we would be together. But we're not." I watch Katara turn away from him.

"Aang… I don't know."

"What don't you know?"

"Because were in the middle of a war!" Katara snaps, losing her patience. "We have other things to worry about!"

"Is there someone else?" he pushes.

"So what if there is? It's none of your business who I date, Aang. You're not my boyfriend!" Katara is yelling now, which is a rare occasion.

"Who is it? Is it Haru? I always knew you had a thing for him." Aang is rambling now, desperate to figure out why Katara doesn't feel the same. "Is it the age difference? In a couple of years, it won't even matter."

The rest of the Gaang comes walking down the corridor and walk up to me.

"What's going on?" Suki asked. I gesture to tell them to be quiet and point to Aang and Katara fighting.

Just then, Aang pulls Katara into a kiss and she pushes him away.

"I just said I didn't feel the same!" she screams.

"I just want to know what's getting in the way of us!" he yells back.

"FINE! It's Zuko! Happy now?"


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys! Sorry for the super long delay, school and depression are kicking my ass. Thank you for all the faves and reviews, I appreciate it! Now, this chapter is really where the story becomes non canon. Some drama and a lil smut in this one.

Katara POV

As soon as the words left my mouth I regret it. I look over to see Zuko, Suki, Sokka, and Toph watching us though the doorway, everyone looking from me to Zuko to Aang and back again.

"Aang I'm sor-" I reach towards him and he pulls away, his face filled with disgust. He looks over at Zuko who's in shock, then back at me.

"Screw you Katara," he huffs, walking away, purposely bumping into Zuko who would normally have pushed back, but his eyes stayed locked on me. I start to follow Aang but Zuko stops me, pulling me into his arms. I can feel myself begin to cry.

"Hey, shhh," he says, smoothing his hand over my hair.

"I have to go after him," I sob. "I have to fix this." I feel a hand patting my back and see Suki in my peripheral vision.

"Oh Katara, I don't think there's anything you can say to help right now. You just have to let him work through his feelings." Her voice is gentle, with no hint of disapproval or anger. I pull away from Zuko to hug her and see Sokka eyeing Zuko carefully.

"So," he starts, his eyes not leaving Zuko. "You two are together." Zuko scratches the back of his neck, the way he always does when he's nervous.

"I err- we haven't really talked about the logistics. But I'd like to think so," Zuko says, looking over and smiling at me. I nod, smiling back.

"Yes," I tell Sokka. He seems to think this over, nodding mostly to himself.

"Well," he says finally. "It's about damn time. Suki, I owe you 5 copper pieces." Zuko and I look at each other, bewildered.

"You bet on us?" I ask. Sokka looks at Suki sheepishly.

"It was technically my idea," she says. "I thought you wouldn't get together until after the battle." She pauses. "When _did_ you two get together?"

"After we found my mother's killer. We set up camp and I kissed him." I can feel my cheeks getting hot, remembering the events that followed. I hear Toph softly chuckle.

"No snide remarks?" I ask her.

"I already knew Sugar Queen," she says, nonchalantly. I look at Zuko and raise an eyebrow.

"I meant to tell you," he says quickly. "She caught me coming out of your room yesterday."

"And what exactly were you doing in her room?!" Sokka yells. Suki puts a hand on his chest and leans in to whisper in his ear. Slowly, his face relaxes and he blushes.

"Anyway… Should we go finish the play?" Sokka asks.

"I think we should head back to the house," I say. "And see if Aang is there." The group agrees and we head off towards the beach, Zuko and I hand in hand.

…

Back at the house, we find Aang's glider and his shoes by the door. Suki, Sokka, and Toph head upstairs, mumbling under their breaths, obviously about what had happened. I look out the back window and see Aang working out. His face is wet and I can't tell if it's sweat or tears or a combination. Zuko comes up behind me and puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Come on," he whispers. "Let's go to bed." He runs his hand down the length of my arm and grabs my hand, guiding me upstairs. He stops at the landing and turns to me.

"I uh…" he's blushing and he looks too cute for words. "I was wondering if you- Only if you wanted! If you'd maybe like to sleep in my room… With me?" I smile and nod and he leads me to his room. When I walk in, I'm in awe. I thought my room was nice, but Zuko's was incredible.

"Wow…"

"What is it?" he asks.

"I guess sometimes, I forget you're a prince." I'm suddenly very aware of the differences in our upbringing and shift in my stance, straightening my back.

"I have to go back to my room, get my things. I'll be right back," I tell him. I walk down the hall quietly, gather clean clothes and some of my toiletries. As I start to leave, I pass my mirror. I look at myself carefully, pulling my long hair over to one side. _I really should cut it._

I look closely at my face, stretching the skin under my chin. I undress to examine my body. I hadn't fully come to terms that this body was no longer untouched. I look at my chest and see the unevenness between my breasts, not dramatic but noticeable. I can see a yellowing bruise on one breast and blush, remembering the feeling of Zuko's mouth on my body.

I turn halfway, studying my waist and legs. I was always self-conscious of my lower half. The women of my village always told me I had birthing hips and I was embarrassed by the thought. Suddenly, I think of Mai. Tall and slender, with skin as pale as the moon. How could Zuko have loved her, and now want me? Too hippy, too dark me? I quickly put on some night clothes, take a deep breath, and head back to Zuko's room.

When I knock, he doesn't answer. I open the door slowly and peek my head in.

"Zuko?" I call softly. "Are you in here?" I walk into the room and look around. On one side of the room, there is a door with a ray of light under it. I creep over and knock.

"Katara?" Zuko calls from within. "Is that you?"

"Yes, what are you doing?"

"I'm taking a bath." He says. "You can uh, come in if you want." I think about it for a second, still feeling strange about my looks. I take a deep breath and open the door. As soon as I enter the wash room, I'm sweating. The room is so hot and there is so much steam, Zuko just looks like a blur. I bend some of the water to see better.

I see Zuko chest deep in a large tub. His hair is wet and sticking to his face and neck. He looks up and smiles at me.

"Do you want to join me?" he asks, in a very casual tone that makes me feel as ease. I stop bending and let the steam collect around us as I turn away from him. I can feel his eyes on me as I untie my sash, and look at him over my shoulder. I slide my robe down my arm and hear Zuko take a deep breath as it falls down my back and onto the floor. I can feel the steam get slightly warmer.

I strategically move my hair to cover my breasts and turn towards him. He moves to one end of the time to give me space. I slowly climb in, shocked by the heat.

"Is it too hot?" Zuko asks.

"Maybe a little," I admit. "Can I cool it?"

"Go ahead. But not too cold." I run my hand over the water and it cools slightly, still hot but more comfortable. I climb in and sit across from Zuko. I can feel his legs tangled with mine, his foot brushing my thigh, and I feel goosebumps rise on my shoulders.

"Come here." Zuko's voice is soft but steady. I scoot over to his side and he wraps one arm around me, resting his head against mine. We sit in silence for a while and he lazily rubs his fingertips up and down my arm.

"What a day, huh," he says.

"I'm sad I hurt Aang," I tell him. "But I'm glad everyone knows. I'm glad I get to hold hands with you in public, like Suki and Sokka. It's nice." I find his hand under the water and lace our fingers together.

"Do you think we'll become a couple like that, all over each other all the time?"

"Maybe." I look up at him and rest a hand on his face. I lean up and he pulls me closer to kiss me. His lips are soft and slightly damp. When he pulls away, I feel myself pout. He chuckles softly and pulls me in again. This kiss is longer and I run my hand through his hair, pulling him closer. The tip of his tongue runs along my bottom lip and I open my mouth a little to give him access. The water around us gets hotter and I lean away from him.

"Ow Zuko are you doing that?" I again cool down the water. Zuko looks around at the water.

"Oh, I'm sorry Tara. I didn't realize. Sometimes I get too hot, when I get… uh, hot." He's mumbling, clearly embarrassed.

"Come on," I say, standing and climbing out of the tub. Zuko follows and I bend the water off us. We each grab towels, covering ourselves. I blow out the lantern and walk into his bedroom. He walks over to his wardrobe and puts on pyjamas, giving me a too quick view of his muscular back and ass. He grabs a sleep tunic and hands it to me. I let my towel fall and he turns his head, a true gentleman. I slip the tunic over my head and walk over to his, sitting on the edge.

"So…" I say, trying to fill the silence. Zuko saunters over, standing in front of me.

"So?" he questions, raising an eyebrow. He smirks and puts his hand under my chin, bringing my face to meet his. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and kiss him deeply. His free hand rests on my waist and I arch my back against his chest. He pulls away slightly to whisper in my ear.

"I thought you said we were taking it slow."

"Who said that? Not me. Why would I want to move slowly when I have a hot boyfriend like you?" He chuckles and shakes his head at me. He searches my face and I nod. After a moment he's kissing me again, both his hands on my waist, pulling me against him, lifting me off his bed. He kisses me hard, his tongue roaming my mouth, and I groan. I tighten my grip on his back, standing on my very tip toes dying to get close as possible to him.

He lowers his hands, grabbing my hips. This move pulls me off the ground and I wrap one leg around one of his, trying to keep balance. Zuko leans down slightly to grab my thighs and lift me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and he turns and takes a few steps. I gasp when I feel the wall against my back. When I break the kiss, Zuko turns his attention to my neck. I let out a sigh and feel him smirk into my neck.

He licks and suckles my neck, finding a particularly sensitive part, right below my ear. I gasp as he sucks harder, definitely leaving a mark but I don't care. I arch into him, shifting my hips and looking for friction. Zuko figures me out, pulling my hips towards him. I can feel his member getting harder and I moan.

"Ahh, Zuko." He leans up to my ear.

"What do you want Tara?" He whispers, his breath leaving goosebumps on my skin. He nibbles on my ear lobe and I forget how to speak.

"Hm? What was that?" He teases.

"More," I choke out. "I want more." I grab him by his hair and pull his mouth to mine, successfully getting a groan out of him. Zuko grinds his hips into me, his hard length feeling delicious. He wraps his arms around my thighs and carries me to his bed, laying me down. He lowers himself over me, using his elbows to hold him up. I look up at him, our chests heaving. Zuko brushes a stray hair out of my face and kisses me gently.

"Zuko," I say sternly. "I said more, not less."

"I know, I'm just giving you a chance to think it over." Sometimes I can't believe how truly kind he is, how I could've ever hated him.

"I'm sure, I promise." He searches my face once more, before continuing. He pulls back to take off his shirt and I marvel at his muscular stomach, the trail of soft black hair leading to his waistband. I run my fingers over his abs and hips, earning a shudder. He smashes his mouth against mine, taking control. His hands rest on my thighs, a finger playing with the hem of the tunic. One hand finds its way under the top, creeping up my leg. My hips buck up involuntarily. Zuko's fingers brush the hairs on my core and I groan. He quickly pulls his hand away, moving higher to grab my hip.

"Quit teasing me," I whine, pulling the tunic off myself and reaching for his pants. He grabs my wrist to stop me.

"I want to focus on you, okay?" He asks. He kisses me quickly and moves his mouth to my neck. One hand moves along my hip, up my stomach to cup my breast. He runs his thumb across my hardened nipple and I arch into his touch. He kisses down my chest and his mouth finds my other nipple. I gasp when his tongue flicks over it.

"Oh Spirits," I breathe. "I want you so bad." He looks up at me, his mouth never leaving my chest and I can see the devilishly grin in his eyes. He pushes my knees apart and settle between my thighs, moving lower and lower, sucking and licking down my stomach the skipping my mound to kiss the insides of my thighs.

"Mmm," he murmurs. "You're so wet babe. I can smell you." I can feel my face burning up but I don't care. I squirm underneath him. He parts my legs more and slides one finger between my folds. I buck my hips towards him, dying for more. He slips his finger into me and I gasp. He moves his finger in and out, painfully slowly. He makes eye contact with me, knowing how much I need him.

He adds another finger and uses his thumb to circle my bud. I roll my hips into his hand, needing release. Zuko adds a third finger, moving faster. He dips his head down to suckle my clit and I let out a deep moan. I grab his hair, holding him against me.

"AAH, Zuko!" I moan. "I'm, I'm gonna ah AH!" I cry out as I orgasm, my body shaking. Zuko slowly pulls his fingers out and I whimper at the loss. I watch him through half lidded eyes as he brings his hand to his mouth, licking my wetness from his fingers.

Zuko leans back on his knees, admiring his handiwork. I spy his obvious erection and lick my lips subconsciously. He follows my gaze and even in the dark room, I see him blush.

"We can stop right now," he tells me. "if you want. I wouldn't be angry."

"I don't want to stop." I sit up and kiss him, tasting myself. I run my hands down his chest until I reach his waistband. He watches me carefully, biting his lip. I dip my hand into his pants, feeling his member. I wrap my hand around him, not quite reaching around the thickness. I stroke him softly and am surprised by the feeling. I know they get hard, but I suppose it's different when you're er- _face to face_ so to speak.

Zuko pulls my hand away and stands quickly, yanking off his pants. He grabs my legs, pulling me to the edge of the bed and kissing my hard. He reaches down to angle himself towards my opening, checking my face once more before sliding in. I gasp, still not used to the size. His hands lift my thighs around his hips and I wrap my arms around his shoulders, my fingers tangling in his hair.

"Oh Tara," he mutters. "You're so fucking wet." He pulls out and thrusts back in, again and again. He leans down to suck on my neck as he fucks me, slowly at first but I can tell he's trying not to lose control.

"Just let go," I tell him. He looks me in the eye and nods curtly.

"Get up." I'm not sure what he's doing, but I do as he says. "Turn around and bend over." I follow directions, kind of nervous about how he's viewing me, but not worried. I feel his cock against my ass and he leans over me, kissing my back. I feel him spread my legs and slowly enter me. He moans, loudly. He feels even bigger at this angle and I wriggle my hips, feeling myself getting closer to a second orgasm. He pumps in and out, his hands gripping my hips so hard I know he'll leave bruises.

"Oh fuck oh fuck! Katara!" his voice is like a growl and a pang of desire runs through my stomach. He reaches around to rub my bud and I could explode. He pushes one of my knees up onto the bed, slamming into me.

"Spirits!" I whimper, biting my lip to keep from screaming. I feel a quick pain and hear a sharp slap as he spanks me. I'm shocked but the pain feels incredible.

"Do that again," I gasp. Zuko spanks me again, and again. When I arch my back, his cock hits something inside me and I can't help but yell out.

"FUCK! Right there, please!" He grips my hips to hold me just right, thrusting faster and faster, the sound of sweaty skin against skin filling the room. He finds my clit once more and when his finger brushes it, I see stars.

"AAHH ZUKO!" I scream. I clench around him, riding out my climax.

"Katara, I'm gonna come." He pulls out fast, finishing himself off with his hand, coming on my ass and back. He grabs one of the towels from the bathroom and cleans me off. I crawl towards the pillows, watching him as he blows out the lantern. He climbs into bed with me, holding me close to his side. I'm drifting off to sleep but before I slip into unconsciousness I swear I hear him whisper.

"I love you Tara, you know that right?"


	5. Chapter 5

This is a short chapter but I wanted to post to thank everyone for 2k readers! Thank you so so much!

No smut in this chapter! Mostly just teens being teens before we get into the heavy battle stuff.

Katara POV

I woke up with a start, hearing a thud. I was up and arming myself with water tentacles in a second.

"Who's there?" I yell out in the darkness. Suddenly, the lanterns are lit and I turn to see Zuko on the ground. I lean down to give him a hand.

"Sorry Katara," he says. "I didn't mean to wake you. I went for a run."

"The sun's barely over the horizon," I yawn, climbing back into bed. "Can't I sleep in?" Zuko chuckles and sits at my feet.

"If you sleep in, who will feed the kids?" he teases at my motherly role in the group. I huff and roll out of bed to my bag. I quickly dress and turn to Zuko.

"Next time you keep me up all night, you're making breakfast." I head downstairs before he can argue, and hear him laughing behind me. I start our usual breakfast, oatmeal, and the gang trickles downstairs. Aang first, grabbing a papaya and heading outside, never glancing in my direction. His jaw is visibly clenched. I watch him leave and let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Next is Suki and Sokka, hand in hand. It never occurred to me prior that they've slept in the same room since we got here. Suki gives me a quick wink and I'm confused. Toph trudges down the stairs next, disheveled as any other morning but slightly more awake, a smirk playing on her mouth.

They sit around our dining room table, talking under their breaths excitedly. Zuko comes down last and the room is silent. His face scrunches up in confusion and looks at me.

"What's going on?" he asks. I shrug.

"I have no idea." I fill his bowl, then mine, and we head to the table. Suki, Sokka, and Toph watch us as we sit.

"Okay," Zuko clears his throat. "Why are you all being so weird?" Suki looks over at the others and then back at Zuko and I.

"I am currently representing the gang." Suki says, trying to sound official. "The house has issued a noise complaint against you two."

"What do you mean?" I ask, more confused than ever. Toph snorts.

"She means if you two are going to be that loud every night, you can't room together." My face is on fire and I open my mouth to speak but nothing comes out. I look at Zuko and he's trying to play it cool, but his pale skin gives away his blush every time. I'm dumbfounded, looking at him and back to the others, my eyes drifting outside.

"Is that why Aang is so angry this morning?" I ask quietly. Sokka speaks for the first time.

"I think he was already angry, and your _activities_ last night definitely made it worse," he tells us.

"By the way, I am in no way condoning my little sister having sex." Sokka eyes Zuko. Suki nudges my brother in the ribs.

"What I think he means is are you two being safe?" I quickly nod and Suki smiles. "Good." I can feel Zuko's eyes on me, but say nothing.

After breakfast, Toph and Sokka head off by themselves, and Zuko goes outside to attempt to work with Aang. Suki stays and helps me clean up the kitchen, mumbling under her breath about something.

"Suki?" I ask. "Is everything okay?" She looks at me, startled.

"Of course," she says. "It's just. Sokka, Toph and I are planning a house night tonight. We want to sit down as a group and talk things out before the battle tomorrow, you know?"

"That sounds like a great plan, Suki." We go back to cleaning and head outside to spar. Suki had been working on my hand to hand combat skills.

After hours of training, the sun starts to go down and Suki asks me and Zuko to help her set up. I go in the house and grab floor pillows and blankets while Zuko heads down to the beach to set up a bonfire. Suki runs to the kitchen to grab some snacks and yells up for Sokka and Toph. When we get to the beach, I see Aang sitting on a large boulder near the fire Zuko is tending. We lay out blankets and sit, Zuko and I on one; Suki, Sokka, and Toph on another. Toph leans in to whisper in Suki's ear and they giggle. Zuko leans down to me.

"What's going on with those three?" he asks. I shrug, having no idea. Suddenly Suki stands and claps her hands together.

"So, as you all know, the battle against the Fire Lord is the day after tomorrow," she starts. "And this might possibly be one of the last times all of us are together. Which is sad, but is also an opportunity to tell each other anything we might be holding back." She looks down at Sokka and Toph, who both nod and Sokka wraps an arm around Toph. Suki takes a deep breath. "Sokka and I, as you know, are together. And we are also dating Toph." She pauses and looks at her partners, then back at the group. "Any questions?" She looks around and Aang raises his hand.

"So Suki and Toph, you two are like… half lesbians?" he asks. Suki laughs and looks at Toph, who stands.

"That's another part of our announcement," she tells us. "I don't uh, fully feel like a girl. A lot of the time I feel like a boy. Or neither. Or both." Toph is biting her (his?) lip. "I'm not sure what I am. But I really like Sokka and Suki, and they like me." Sokka stands and pulls Suki and Toph into his arms, giving them each a kiss on the cheek.

"From now on," Toph continues. "I'd like you all to please refer to me using they pronouns. And I identify as queer, I like boys and girls and people like me." Suki nods in agreement. Aang raises his hand.

"Even though you're one person?" he asks.

"Yes," they say. We all nod, absorbing the news we've just learned. Zuko leans down to whisper in my ear.

"Do you think they have lots of threesomes?" he jokes under his breath. Toph hurls a small rock right at his head and he grimaces.

"Okay, I probably deserved that." We all laugh, happy the tension has broken.

"So," I say. "What should we do now?" Suki smiles mischievously.

"Tonight is all about learning each other's secets. So how about a good old fashion game of truth or dare?"

Hey yall! Short chapter I know, but I wanted to get something out to my readers before I get too busy at work (BE NICE TO RETAIL WORKERS DURING THE HOLIDAYS PLEASE!)

Anyway, if anyone starts some transphobic/queerphobic/bigot bullshit, we're fighting. I don't need any "Toph is a girl!" comments, bc a) it's my story b) it's not real c) they're trans in my heart

Leave me some truths or dares you'd like your faves to answer! As always, lots of love, please fave, follow, and review. Until next time! xx Jaq


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